


Art of the Rewrite

by Athena4 (LFN_Archivist)



Category: La Femme Nikita
Genre: F/M, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-28 06:56:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18205031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFN_Archivist/pseuds/Athena4
Summary: This story was originally posted to the LFN Storyboard Archives by Athena4.





	Art of the Rewrite

**Author's Note:**

> The Art of the Rewrite: A Lesson From Madeline

It was a dark and stormy night - 

_"Tell me you're joking. That's a little trite, isn't it?"_

The rain came down in torrents, soaking through her clothing, leaving her wondering why she'd ventured out at all. 

_"Better. Now, what's my reasoning for this ridiculous trek?"_

The thought of him had driven her out into the cold and the rain, pulling her like a child's toy out into the wind. 

_"A child's toy?!? With a little pull string!? Oh dear god, you really are blocked aren't you?"_

It was the thought of him that had driven her out into the rain, away from the warmth of her apartment and the memories it held. 

_"Memories...all alone in the moonlight....Can we do something about the lack of light? I'm wandering in the dark here..."_

A lone street lamp lit the path ahead of her, guiding her though the empty streets, lighting her way; she knew not where. 

_"There is so much wrong with that....Is that lamp **following** me? And I'm not even going to touch the last section."_

The street lamps left puddles of light along the sidewalk.... 

_"Speaking of puddles - can we do something about these shoes? I mean really...."_

...but she avoided their illumination, staying instead in the shadows. They were vaguely comforting, allowing her to be alone with her thoughts; letting her battle her demons in solitude. 

_"Besides, if I walked right under the lamps, I get big drips on my head to go along with the torrential rain....God forbid I should be any more inconvenienced."_

As quickly as it had begun, the rain let up, allowing a splash of moonlight to filter through the clouds. 

_"Wow, that IS convenient. While we're at it, could we have some direction here? What exactly is going on?"_

Madeline headed west... 

_"That was NOT the kind of direction I was talking about. Must you be so literal?"_

Madeline walked along the street towards his apartment, avoiding the large puddles of water left by the rain. Her shoes were filled with water, created a soft sucking noise as she set her foot down. 

_"Oh, for crying out loud...."_

Madeline walked along the street towards his apartment, avoiding the large puddles of water left by the rain. The scent of wet grass filled her nostrils, bringing back memories of her childhood. 

_"Ok! Did I grow up in a forest or something? First it's burning leaves...now wet grass?"_

The scent of wet grass filled her nostrils, bringing back memories of happier times; of times when her life did not revolve around the concrete bunker that was Section One. 

_"Now we might be getting somewhere....Next!"_

She stopped outside his apartment building, backing up into the light of the street lamp for a better view of the many-windowed building. 

_"Oh my....'many windowed?'...and should I mention at this point that in our last story, he lived in a house?"_

She stopped outside his home, backing up into the light of the street lamp for a better view of the upper stories. A dim light shone through one of the second floor windows. Despite the late hour, he was awake. 

_"I'm going to go crawling up there aren't I? This better not turn into another smut piece - you're ruining my reputation."_

She entered his home without knocking - disabling the security system with the code he'd given her years before. 

_"....which apparently, it's time to change!!"_

She approached his door cautiously, pausing on the stoop before finally deciding to knock on the door. As she stood, a large drop of water fell from the eavestrough above to land with a plop on her head. 

_"Hey! You did that on purpose!"_

She approached the door cautiously, pausing on the stoop before finally deciding to knock. She shivered slightly, pulling her damp coat tighter around her body in a vain attempt to create warmth. 

_"Don't do it."_

The door opened slowly to reveal Paul, body wrapped in the cozy warmth of a terry cloth bathrobe, hair damp from a shower. 

_"I hate you. You know what that image does to me."_

"Madeline," he said, his voice husky... 

_"I'm asking you nicely to stop it."_

..."You're drenched." 

_"He's always had a gift for stating the obvious."_

Taking her hand, he pulled her through the door, the movement revealing a V-shaped portion of his chest as the ties on his robe loosened. 

_"Oh PLEASE, you think I'm giving in to this..."_

He closed the door behind her, pulling her further into foyer. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes." 

_"GROAN!! I am in actual physical pain right now..."_

Madeline allowed him to pull her up the stairs, stepping out of her shoes with one final squish... 

_"Sigh...."_

Madeline allowed him to pull her up the stairs, stepping out of her shoes and following closely at his heels. 

_"Ok. I went from child's toy to puppy dog in less than a page...I think I prefer the angst you usually write..."_

Madeline allowed him to guide her up the stairs and into the bedroom, where a large fire burned along one wall. 

_"Umm...Shouldn't we be getting OUT of the house if there's a fire?!"_

She allowed him to guide her up the stairs and into the bedroom, where a fire burned in a fireplace along the far wall. 

_"Umm...Are there pillows and a fur rug involved? If there are, I really am leaving..."_

A book lay open on the leather chair by the fire, signalling to Madeline that she had drawn Paul away from a quiet evening alone. Shivering, she took a few steps towards the fire, wrapping her arms around her frigid body. 

_"That has two meanings doesn't it...."_

A book lay open on the leather chair by the fire, signalling to Madeline that she had drawn Paul away from a quiet evening alone. Shivering, she took a few steps towards the fire, wrapping her arms around her glacial body. 

_"Glacial?! Don't make me come over there..."_

Shivering, she took several steps towards the fire, wrapping her arms around her passionless - 

_"HEY!!"_

....wrapping her arms around her freezing body. 

Paul joined her by the fire, rubbing her arms with his hands for a few moments before pushing her coat off her shoulders. "You're going to catch your death...Sit closer to the fire, and take off those clothes. I'll get your bathrobe." 

_"Yes, Mom..."_

When Paul returned to the room, bathrobe in hand, Madeline was standing inches from the fire, tossing her clothing into the fire. 

_"That was an Armani...I loved that suit..."_

As he walked towards her, she tossed her black lace panties into the flames and turned his way, a look of eager desire on her face. 

_"Oh dear god...Please don't... "_

When Paul returned to the room, bathrobe in hand, Madeline was still clothed - standing inches from the fire, dripping water on his new carpet. 

_"From one extreme to the other, eh? Kind of like your mood swings?"_

When Paul returned to the room, bathrobe in hand, Madeline was standing inches from the fire, clothing lying in a soggy pile on the floor at her feet. As Paul approached, she turned, her arms braced across her breasts, goosebumps covering her skin. 

_"Umm.. I'm suddenly anxious...Can I retract the mood swing comment?"_

The warmth of the fire felt good on her back and buttocks, but what felt even better was the sudden heat between her thighs when she saw the look of lust in Paul's eyes as he took in her form. 

_"Ahhh!! No! I'm sorry....what can I do to make it up to you...."_

The warmth of the fire was finally starting to warm her as Paul slipped the robe over her shoulders, pulling her into his arms. "Warm enough?" he said softly, rubbing her back and arms. 

_"Thank god...But...why do I feel like this won't last?"_

Madeline nodded against his chest, burrowing into the cozy warmth of the bathrobe. He pushed her gently back towards the fire, removing his book, and seating her on the leather chair. As he closed the book and placed it on the mantle, she caught sight of the title: Kama Sutra. 

_"I DON'T think so. He couldn't get into even a quarter of those positions..."_

_"I resent that."_

_"You stay out of this - We're having a lesson here..."_

_"I think you underestimate me."_

_"PAUL!!"_

_"I'm going...."_

As he closed the book and placed it on the mantle, she caught sight of the title: Breaking The Chains: Dealing With Controlling Women. 

_"EXCUSE ME?!"_

_"Bwahahahahahaa!"_

_"I said - Stay. Out. Of. It."_

_"Ahem.... Sorry. But, it's so true....I'm really leaving now..."_

_"Good. Can we fix this please?"_

As he closed the book and placed it on the mantle, she caught sight of the title: Goldfinger. 

"Paul?" she asked, shivering slightly as the cold leather touched her legs. "What do we do for a living?" 

He grinned, looking down on her from above. "Sometimes I like to read about people who ALWAYS get the bad guys." 

_"And like all men he has fantasies about gadgets and Bond women."_

As she turned toward the fire, he knelt next to her, his hand on her thigh. "Are you going to tell me what brought you here in the pouring rain?" 

_"A crazy author, what else?"_

"...or are we going to sit here all evening, staring into the fire." 

_"Our lives hang in the balance.....AGAIN."_

A plethora of answers ran through Madeline's mind, all of them lies, before she finally settled on the truth. 

"I was thinking of you." 

_"Oh HORK...."_

"Were you?" His eyes lit up in surprise and he stood, moving away to seat himself in the chair opposite her. He then leaned forward, his interest piqued.

"Yes." She kept her tone even. Admit nothing. Reveal nothing. 

"In what context?" 

_"Oh god..."_

"A purely hypothetical situation..." 

"Involving?" 

"Me. You. A little downtime." 

_"Oh dear god...must you? "_

"It does have some interesting possibilities, doesn't it?" Paul replied, grinning from ear to ear. 

_"Are we returning to trite? I thought we'd gotten past that."_

"It does have some interesting possibilities, doesn't it?" Paul replied, a smile spreading across his face. 

_"Better. For NOW."_

Madeline returned his smile, playing idly with the tie on her bathrobe so that it loosened almost imperceptibly. She watched his gaze as it shifted from her eyes to the ever increasing bit of flesh beginning to reveal itself through the gap in her robe; and her smile widened. She definitely had his attention. 

_"Ever-increasing bit of flesh!? I'm managing to maintain my girlish figure, thank-you-very-much!"_

She watched his gaze as it shifted from her eyes to the bit of flesh beginning to reveal itself through the gap in her robe; and her smile widened. She definitely had his attention. 

_"Better. AND I'm not a gibbering idiot....So far, so good."_

Standing, she allowed the bathrobe to fall open completely, leaving the tie forgotten on the chair behind her. She sashayed towards him... 

_"SASHAYED?!!? NO!! Glide, sure. Sauntered, maybe...but I never, ever sashay."_

Standing, she allowed the bathrobe to fall open completely, leaving the tie forgotten on the chair behind her. Slowly, she walked towards him, watching him shift on his chair with growing desire. He edged himself forward, with the intention of standing, but she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Stroking her fingers down his arms, she kneeled before him, finally resting her hands on his thighs. She licked her lips as his manhood burst through his robe at full attention, its tip already moist with desire. 

_"Burst?!!? So I lick my lips before or after I pick myself up from the fright?? And 'at attention', eh?? How very...military...Just tell me you're kidding!?"_

She smiled again as his robe slipped off his knees to reveal his hardening member. She loved the control she had over him; how easily he gave into his desires in her presence. She knew that with one touch, she could make him shudder; with a few gentle caresses she could make him beg... 

She loved to make him beg... 

_"Beg. Perfect. I love that. You have this wonderful cruel streak that rivals my own...."_ Reaching up with one hand to undo the sash on his robe, she allowed the other to slide between his thighs, caressing his skin softly before slipping around to fondle his length. He groaned audibly, his back arching to push himself forward into her grip. 

_"He is so close to begging...."_

She felt him quiver as she ran a nail along his member; up one side and down the other, before wrapping her hand around it. He twitched as the pressure of her hand surrounded him, shifting beneath her ministrations as she flicked her tongue across the tip. 

_"Here it comes..."_

"Madeline...." he moaned, clasping the chair arms in his fists. 

_"You two are really unnaturally cruel...."_

_"Oh, shut up. You LOVE it."_

_"Cold-hearted, I'm telling you...."_

_"May I take this opportunity to say thank you?"_

Dropping her hand, Madeline sat back on her heels, surveying the damage. Paul's eyes were closed, his mouth opened to release laboured breathing. His body arched towards hers, his sex swollen fully erect. 

_"Oh...you are cruel, you're not even going to...."_

"Paul," she called to him gently, a warm heat filling her own body as her control over him peaked. As his eyelids fluttered open, she saw that his eyes were clouded with desire, his face wearing a pained expression. She wanted to play with him more, but her own body longed to be near his - longed to have him inside her... 

_"Uh oh..we're drifting.. Pull back.. pull back!!"_

She wanted to play with him more, but she wanted a moment to savour her control, to enjoy the intense pleasure - and pain - she was causing him. 

"Madeline...please..." he groaned, one of his hands drifting unconsciously towards his turgid cock. 

_"Ack!! Sounds like a diseased chicken!! Ugh....I'm not touching THAT."_

_"Umm! Hey! You gotta change that... please?! I'm begging here..."_

_"Now you're begging both of us..."_

_"We'll you've left me in kind of a lurch here..."_

"Madeline...please..." he groaned, one of his hands drifting unconsciously to relieve himself. 

_"Umm.. I'm not into that 'Golden shower' stuff...."_

"Madeline..." he groaned, lurching forward to clasp her shoulder. She allowed him to pull her closer, returning to her knees before him and running a finger up the length of his member. He released an audible grunt as her nail grazed the tip of his erection, his hand clenching on her shoulder. "Please...." 

Leaning forward, she ran her tongue along him, following the trail her finger had just taken, pausing at the apex to suck softly. 

_"Apex?! Is this a penis, or a mountain?!"_

_"Well..."_

_"You stay out of this..."_

Leaning forward, she ran her tongue along him, following the trail her finger had just taken; pausing to suck softly, before flitting her tongue over the head. 

_"There's just no appropriate word is there....."_

...before flitting her tongue over the tip. 

_"Tip? Ok. That's passable."_

Paul's hand drifted from her shoulder to the back of her head, wrapping itself in her hair. His other hand joining it there, guiding her onto his length. 

_"Guiding!? I need guidance?!"_

She allowed it, savouring the soft grunts and moans that escaped from his throat, feeling the pulse of his blood through the tender skin. 

_"Better, although that whole pulse thing is a little mushy..."_

She engulfed him slowly, raking her teeth along his length as she covered it. She felt him quiver under her minstrations, and sucked softly, knowing it would only increase the pressure to his already engorged phallus. 

_"Phallus: image of penis, usually erect, as symbol of generative power. Well, that phrase is certainly symbolic of something...."_

She felt him quiver under her minstrations, and sucked softly, knowing it would increase the pressure, and bring him to a quick, and extremely satisfying, climax. 

_"Come on! Satisfying?! Hmph...."_

She felt him quiver under her ministrations, and sucked softly, bringing a hand up to stroke the base of his penis. He bucked under her touch... 

_"Ride 'em, cowboy!!"_

His whole body shuddered at her touch, his breath catching in his throat. He was close. For a brief instant, she paused, relishing her control; then, she took him deeply, letting her teeth trail along his over-sensitised flesh. 

He exploded like a gunshot into her throat, his hands releasing her hair as he fell back against the chair. 

_"Gack! Like a GUNSHOT?!?! That would leave a rather largish hole in the back of my head, would it not? "_

His hands gripped her hair tightly as release came, holding her firmly in place to receive the juice of his love. 

_"Bwahahaha.. Can we be serious, please?!"_

A final moan signalled his release as it came, his grip tightening briefly in her hair, his body slumping against the chair. Sitting back on her heels once more, Madeline smiled up at his stilled form, savouring the taste that remained on her lips and tastebuds. 

_"Tastes like chicken...."_

....savouring the tang that remained on her lips and tastebuds. Crawling forward, she reached forward to pull him down into a passionate kiss, allowing him to share his taste with her. 

With a soft moan, he broke their kiss, standing and pulling her to her feet in front of him. "Thank you," he whispered against her hair, wrapping his arms tightly around her. 

"You don't think we're finished do you?" Madeline smiled playfully, shrugging out of his grip to run her hands down his chest. 

_"Turnabout is fair play, Paul....you should know that by now..."_

"Not by a long shot," he replied, tracing a finger slowly down her side. As his finger dipped between her legs - 

_"Dipped. Dipped?!? What, is he sampling pudding or something!? "_

"Not by a long shot," he replied, tracing a finger slowly down her neck. He hesitated above her breast bone, licking his lips slowly. His finger continued its journey, joined by his other hand - each taking possession of one of her breasts as his mouth clamped down on hers once more. 

_"Mmm....Uh, yea, that's good. Keep going."_

Massaging her breasts in his palms, Paul manouvered her backwards towards the other chair, pushing her gently onto the soft leather, as he knelt before her. As his hands left her breasts momentarily, she moaned, her nipples aching for his touch. Arching forward, she grasped his shoulders, attempting to drawn him back. 

His hands had other plans. 

_"I always knew his hands had a mind of their own...."_

He accepted her guidance, this time bringing his mouth to her right breast. Gently, he kissed around the already taut nipple, allowing his tongue to tweak -

_"Tweak!?"_

Gently, he kissed around the already taut nipple, allowing his tongue to flit along its apex. An anguished moan escaped Madeline's throat as he shifted his attention to her other breast, this time nipping softly along its base. 

"Suck me like a hungry baby!" she cried, thrusting her breast towards his mouth. 

_"I'm sorry!?? I must have been having a nightmare....."_

An anguished groan escaped Madeline's throat as he shifted his attention to her other breast, this time nipping softly along its base. 

"Paul," she moaned, shifting in the chair to press her breasts against his mouth and palms. His mouth continued its attentions, alternately nipping and suckling each breast while his hands continued their own slow exploration. 

_"...to boldly go, where no man....um... ok, we all know that's a lie.... to boldly go... Umm.. well, you'll see - right?"_

His hands came to rest on her hips before ducking inside the material of her bathrobe to caress her buttocks. With a singular motion he pulled her forward against his abdomen, her dampening sex poised on the edge of the chair. 

_"Dampening!? Did I read that right? What am I, a bloody rainforest?! What's the humidity down there, anyways?! "_

With a singular motion he pulled her forward, positioning her on the edge of the chair. Releasing her breast one final time, he leaned her back against the chair, a trail of wet kisses leading to his new destination. Each kiss increased the heat between Madeline's thighs and she writhed below him, wanting to feel his mouth on her. 

She didn't have to wait long - 

_"He knows better than to keep me waiting..."_

Each kiss increased the heat between Madeline's thighs, and she writhed below him, wanting to feel his mouth on her. Sliding forward, Paul parted her thighs, kissing soft trails on the inside, along the soft flesh that led to her sex. 

Moaning softly, she continued to writh, his touch creating ever intensifying desire. "Please," she grunted, shuddering as his tongue flitted along her outer lips. "Paul...please..." 

_"Ah ha! Now who's begging."_

_"Stay out of this, Paul."_

_"I don't think you REALLY want me to do that...If I vanish...."_

_"If you vanish, I have two hands, a VIVID imagination and intimate knowledge of EXACTLY what that locked drawer in your nighttable contains. "_

_"Uhh..."_

_"It's not like I haven't done it before..."_

_"Madeline?"_

_"Shut up, Paul - you know what to do."_

Sliding his hands from her hips down to the inside of her thighs, Paul allowed his thumbs to caress her folds, stroking gently, then more roughly as pushed herself against his hands. Her soft moans turned into whimpers as his tongue joined the action - 

_"Whimpers? Madeline, are you listening to this?"_

_"Huh? Sorry, I was - Umm... yeah, whimpers are bad.. I never whimper..."_

_"Well, I wouldn't say never...."_

_"Yes. You would."_

_"Uh. Sure... She never whimpers..."_

Her soft moans escalated as his tongue joined the action, sliding in among her folds, stimulating the delicate flower of her womanhood. 

_"The WHAT?! Oh dear god....This sounds like a bad douche commericial."_

...stimulating her already swollen arousal. It flitted around it, alternating between a light feather touch, which left her begging for more; and steady pressure, causing her hips to arch towards him. 

With one hand on her stomach to steady her body, he increased the pressure of his tongue on her arousal, nipping and sucking at it as his fingers slid down between her thighs. She struggled beneath him, pushing her buttocks up off the chair and pulling his head down still further. He pushed her down almost forcefully with his free hand, allowing the fingers of the other to venture deeper into her over-moist canal. 

_"Will I need a gondola for that!?"_

_"Oh Paul, you're learning. I'm so proud. Now if we can just teach HER."_

_"Careful Madeline. Remember who's in control here.."_

_"I know whose in control - she would be nothing without us."_

_"Madeline..."_

_"A blank slate..."_

He pushed her down almost forcefully with his free hand, allowing the fingers of the other to stroke carefully along her inner thigh. Suddenly, he lifted his mouth from her clitoris, sitting back on his heels to stare at her in dismay. "Madeline," he said, his voice laced with disgust. "You taste funny." 

_"I warned you..."_

Madeline gasped for breath, her arousal painful where his lips and tongue had left it. She couldn't believe that he'd simply stopped. She couldn't believe he'd said what he did. "Uhh..." she moaned, attempting to pull his head back between her legs. 

"No," he said, pulling his robe back around himself. "It's disgusting really. You're on your own..." 

_"You are evil, and must be destroyed. Vindictive, cruel - you're bringing a tear to my eye; truly. Listen - I'll make you a deal. Fix this, and I'll try and be cooperative for that sequel you're working on."_

_"Notice she said 'TRY'..."_

_"Paul...Don't. Start."_

_"You're the one who taunted the writer, not me. I'm just making sure that she doesn't get shafted in this deal."_

_"I'm sure she appreciates that. But, I'm also sure she knows that all you really want is sex - there's going to be sex in the sequel..."_

_"Well, that is a plus..."_

_"So what do you say?"_

Paul turned and walked away, throwing himself in the chair on the other side of the fire place. "When was the last time you washed down there?!" 

_"Umm...I think she wants an apology."_

 _"I - I'm...."_

"I mean," Paul began, taking a swig of the brandy he'd left on the side table. "It tastes like..." He shuddered, closing his eyes. "I don't even want to think about it..." 

_"Ok. You win. I apologise."_

_"Wow, 20 years and I've never heard her apologise. And the deal?"_

_"The deal stands...I will cooperate for the next installment of our history...."_

He pushed her down almost forcefully with his free hand, allowing the fingers of the other to stroke a quivering thigh. His hand slid up still further, parting the soft folds below his mouth to give his fingers access. With delicate pressure he pushed them inside her and Madeline moaned, pushing forwards so they delved still deeper within her. 

"Paul..." she sighed, her hands clasping tightly to the arms of the chair. She struggled to keep herself still, wanting so much to force him still deeper; to make his mouth suckle harder. Her body tensed against the chair as he brought her closer and closer to release, his mouth and digits working in unison to satisfy her need. 

The moisture between her thighs lubricated the thrusts of Paul's fingers, and she had no need to guide his hand. He pushed deeper and harder, his one hand steadying her body against its own shuddering, while the other worked its magic.

_"Wouldn't that be easier with a wand? Working magic that is... You know, a big thick..."_

He pushed deeper and harder, his free hand steadying her body against its own shuddering. His mouth laboured as well, suckling and nibbling at her arousal. One final rough pinch sent her over the edge, her muscles clenching around his fingers, her body rocking violently with the power of her climax. 

_"Was there an earthquake or something!?"_

One final rough pinch sent her over the edge, her muscles clenching around his fingers, her hips arching forward towards the source of her pleasure. Her scream echoed through the room, and she collapsed back against the chair, her throat burning from the intensity. 

_"I am NOT a screamer. For crying out loud...."_

One final rough pinch sent her over the edge, her muscles clenching around his fingers, her hips arching forward towards the source of her pleasure as a gutteral groan escaped her lips. She felt the final stroke of his fingers as he left her, his hands venturing upwards to cradle her hips, his mouth trailing soft kisses along her moist sex. 

Her body quivered as his lips continued their exploration, her body slowly recovering from the intensity of her climax. He kissed her thighs, her stomach, the backs of her knees - leaving cooling moisture in his wake. As the tension left her body, she slid from the chair, straddling Paul's thighs as he sat before it. 

He slid his hands from her hips, clasping them around her back to draw her into his arms. "I love you," he whispered, his breath warm against her ear. "You have no idea how much." 

_"The erection poking into my thigh tells me a great deal..."_

"I think I do," Madeline replied, laying her head against his shoulder. She wanted to reciprocate, to share in his declaration of love, but the words caught in her throat. They _always_ caught in her throat. 

_*choke* *hack* *cough*_

Emotion had never come easily to her. It was something she kept buried deep inside, far within where she was sure she could control it; where she was sure it wouldn't control her. It had been a difficult journey that had led her to accept Paul's presence in her life. To admit that she loved and needed him. 

It had been a difficult journey - and he'd stood by her side the whole way. 

_"Geez. No wonder George calls us Siamese twins. Do I at least go to the bathroom alone?"_

It had been a difficult journey - and he'd been patient. He was still so patient. 

Lifting her head from his shoulder, she cupped his face between her hands, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Can I stay with you tonight?" 

_"Like I would ask!"_

 _"Like I would say no!!"_

Lifting her head from his shoulder, she cupped his face between her hands, kissing him lightly on the lips. "I wish I could say the words," she said softly, sliding off his legs and attempting to turn away. 

He caught her hands in his, stopping her movement, then turned her face back towards him. "It doesn't matter. After all this time you should know that. I can _see_ how you feel, even if you don't say the words." 

_"Oy, we're drifting into angst here...Par-o-dy...not angst."_

He caught her hands in his, stopping her movement, then turned her face back towards him. "It doesn't matter," he said, standing and pulling her up to stand before him. "Don't go home tonight. Stay with me." 

_"If I recall, my clothes are wet in a pile on the floor. Where am I going to go in a bathrobe?"_

"It doesn't matter, " he said, standing and pulling her up to stand before him. "I _know_." 

Madeline smiled under his steady gaze, stroking his bare chest with her hands. "It seems the fire has gone out," she said softly, pushing him backwards into the darkness where the bed lay. "I'm going to need something else to keep me warm." 

_"Now THAT's an invitation!"_

_"Paul, you're incorrigable."_

_"Thank you."_

"I think that can be arranged," Paul replied, using his hands to push the bathrobe off her shoulders. Leaning in close, he pulled his own bathrobe around her body, leaning in to kiss her passionately. 

"This is nice..." she mumbled against his lips. Returning his kiss, she forced him back still further with her body, until he stalled at the foot of the bed. Struggling out of his grip, she pushing him down on the bed, smiling mischievously as his bathrobe fell open... 

_"I think we should leave the rest to the imagination..."_

_"Don't you think that's a little cruel."_

_"Well, cruel seems to be her specialty... and we all know it's mine."_

_"But-"_

_"Besides...you know those TR's have dirty minds. They'll have no problem at all filling in the blanks."_

_"I -"_

_"And, I think we deserve a little privacy ....don't you?"_

_"Oh! Yeah - hey, can we end this here....Madeline, what do you say we unlock that drawer in my nighttable..."_

_"I thought you'd never ask..."_

Fin?


End file.
